Principal’s message to families – 18th October 2024

What a great first half term of our 50th year! Our celebration assembly on Monday started the week incredibly well. The new style Celebration Assembly saw leaders of each area of school (Ms Hudson Scott- Lower School, Mr Rose – KS3, Ms Taylor – KS4, Mrs Dutton- KS5 (6thform) and Mrs Smith- Chimes) giving out certificates for children in their areas. We watched a collection of photos from the half term but ran out of time to show the Central TV news report from our Family Fun Day! Staff also won some certificates in assembly so a well done to them too. Our staff Dawn House Hero will be revealed this afternoon- we all nominate staff members each half term and the lucky winner gets a voucher and a lovely pin badge!

The Enterprise Group
… would like to invite your child to participate in an enterprise trip to the Teenage Market in Bolsover, where they will have the opportunity to run a market stall featuring crafts made by students during their enterprise activities. The market will take place on Saturday, 9th November, from 10 AM to 2 PM.

Parents are welcome to leave their children in the care of our staff for up to one hour during the event. Our staff will ensure that the students are supervised and supported while they partake in running the market stall. If you choose to take advantage of this option, please email ([email protected]) with a timeslot of which hour you would prefer from 10AM to 1PM.

Dawn’s Diner

The students have done an amazing job running Dawn’s Diner! They’ve been busy making and serving a delicious range of hot drinks, soups, sandwiches, cakes, and pancakes to the public. Their hard work and enthusiasm are shining through, and the cafe has been a real hit so far. We’re so proud of their teamwork and entrepreneurial spirit—it’s been a fantastic experience for everyone involved! We can’t wait to welcome more of you to come and support the cafe soon!

St Andrews Mission Hall is host to many individuals and groups of people of all ages from our surrounding villages many of whom are also members of other community groups. This is where Dawn’s Diner is based.

You may know that earlier this year they held an Art competition for 11-16 year olds in conjunction with Joseph Whitaker, Fountaindale and Dawn House schools. With funding by Art UK they were able to offer small financial prizes and the opportunity for the winners to work with a professional artists to put their work on large mural boards inside The Mission Hall with the theme ‘Our World’. Over 900 public votes narrowed down the 80 entries to just two which now adorn the walls at one end of the Hall.

They now have a blank area at the kitchen end of the hall and the next art project planned over the winter is to make a ‘Community Mosaic’ made of wooden tiles with submissions from local groups of a small art work best reflecting their organisation. There are links with over 20 local groups (Men in Sheds, Rainbows, Women’s Institute etc.) and many have expressed an interest in being part of our mosaic. The allotments for example think they may do a collage made of seeds, Rainbows are thinking of a rainbow made of beads by the children.

We have been invited to take part in our project and will be following in the footsteps of the Dawn House 50th Birthday mosaic which will be going in the reading garden, by creating a second mosaic during the Christmas Fayre, supported by a local artist and ‘Friend of Dawn House’. Very exciting!

Thank you all for your continuing courtesy towards our Helmsley Road residents by driving slowly and giving way to other vehicles appropriately. This goes a long way to supporting the developing the ongoing relationship with our neighbours.

Upcoming dates and information:
Monday 4th November – INSET day
Tuesday 5th November – pupils return to school
Saturday 30th November – parents day and Christmas Fayre- all welcome!!
Monday 2nd December – school closed for all pupils
Tuesday 3rd December – pupils return to school
Friday 20th December – break up for Christmas!!

Wishing you all a quiet and safe half term break and we look forward to seeing you all in November.
Jenny
[email protected]